Field notes: How to compare insecticide cost between products
By MWI Animal Health
When comparing two products, Product A and Product B, you need to know:
- Percent active ingredient
- Application rate per 1,000 square feet.
Product A may be half the strength as Product B. This will equate to using two times the amount of product to be equal. If Product A has 21.4 percent active ingredient and Product B has 42.3 percent active ingredient, the label rate of Product B should be half the rate as Product A. Finally, you also need to make sure you are comparing the same size container.
Now you know what to look for on the label. It is time to decide which option is the better choice. Here is how to calculate cost between the two products. Note: below we are calculating for a 20,000-square- foot house.
| Product A | Product B |
|---|---|
| Price: $47/bottle | Price: $65/bottle |
| Size: 60 oz | Size: 60 oz |
| Rate: 6 oz/1000 sq ft | Rate: 3 oz/1000 sq ft |
- Divide the price of each container by the ounces/container to get cost/ounce
Product A: $47/60 = $0.78/oz Product B: $65/60 = $1.08/oz - Multiply cost/oz by legal application rate/1000 square foot to get price/square foot.
Product A: $0.78/oz * 6 oz = $4.68/sq ft Product B: $1.08/oz * 3 oz = $3.24/sq ft - Multiply price/sq ft by total floor space and you have the price/house.
Product A: $4.68 * 20 = $93.60/house Product B: $3.24 * 20 = $64.80/house
As you can see, Product A is more expensive per price/bottle compared to Product B.
